Thunderstorms
by bury me among the ashes
Summary: Sakura is trying to sort out her feelings for Sasuke and finds emotional support in the most surprising of people. ShikaSaku


Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!

Warnings/Notes: ShikaSaku oneshot don't flame the pairing because you don't like it, stop reading now if you know you will, I assure you this is pretty IC! Takes place early on in the show….

The definition of Kun- a Japanese suffix used when addressing one you've grown up with.

She looked at him one last time before continuing to walk on by… Uchiha Sasuke was never one to pay her any attention no matter how she tried. He'd never say the things she wanted, do the things she wanted, and she was beginning to realize he never would. It didn't take much for her to come to the conclusion that Sasuke _never_ showed what he was feeling. Today was like a slap in the face, he explained to her the purpose in life he'd have as an avenger; she'd never before heard someone talk so freely about their hate for another. He said he needed that hatred to fuel him, to make him stronger and that scared her….

There was never an understanding the two came to, Sakura wasn't anything more than a "friend" to Sakura, and even now the rose hared girl wondered just what his definition of "friend" was. She walked on, her gaze cast down to the dirty sidewalk Naruto had spray painted, it read "Uzamaki Naruto soon to be Hokage…." Sakura found herself smiling at this, only half fondly, at least Naruto was consistent, Sasuke was changing more and more as he got closer and closer to fulfilling his dream.

She licked her lips and tried to control her trembling, she felt like she was going to burst into tears over someone that'd never liked her, over someone she barely knew…. He was just a cute boy in reality, but to her, for some reason, she felt he was more. Having not been paying attention she tripped over Shikamaru who was lazily lying down in the field she had to cross to get home. His only response at first was to look up at her and mutter "troublesome" under his breath. Sakura felt herself tension, she was already feeling pretty down, and she hoped she could just pass Shikamaru by and they could forget the whole thing, but she knew she had to at least apologize.

"I'm sorry Shikamaru kun." She whispered softly, "I uh, wasn't paying attention." She added in an attempt to excuse her carelessness.

Shikamaru smirked inwardly, it was usually too troublesome to do anything more than nod in this sort of situation but she had walked right into it and so he had to reply, "I noticed…." He mumbled.

Sakura felt anger and mixed emotions welling up within her, and even Shikamaru realized his comment struck a nerve. "I was just trying to be polite Shikamaru, no one's perfect!" She seethed at him as she felt tears stinging at her eyes; It wasn't really that she was upset with, more so that she was upset with everything that was happening to her at once. She couldn't help but be overwhelmed and she knew right away she'd overreacted. She wiped away her tears and opened her mouth to speak another apology but Shikamaru spoke up first.

"Listen I didn't know you'd get so upset or I wouldn't have said anything." He informed her, _troublesome woman_ he thought as if acting on impulse.

Sakura shook her head, "This was my fault, I was upset which is why I ended up bumping into you, I should've never let my emotions affect my words and actions towards you. I was trying to apologize and ended up yelling, I really am sorry." She replied, normally she would've said something to the effect of, for a genius you really need to get a clue, but she couldn't bring herself to. After all, she wasn't angry at Shikamaru, how could she be?

Shikamaru groaned and cursed his nagging mother for teaching him to be polite as he spoke up again feeling obliged to, "So what actually happened to make you upset like this in the first place?" He forced himself to ask, motioning for her to sit down beside him.

"Do you really even care?" Sakura asked as she took another step passed him towards her home.

"All I'm saying is I'll listen to what you have to say, maybe I can help, I owe you that, besides there aren't that many clouds in the sky today." He told her, reluctantly, Sakura sat down beside him, smirking at his comment referring to the clouds.

"I was honestly just trying to sort out my feelings for someone." She started, being vague on purpose because she really didn't know Shikamaru that well and didn't care to have a heart to heart with him about Sasuke Uchiha.

"Keep going." Shikamaru spoke up casually following storm clouds as they quickly ran across the now gray sky.

Sakura nodded, "Well, I just really like this guy that I know and I know he doesn't like me, I mean how can he, I mean I'm… so…" she took a moment to think back on all the things Sasuke had called her. "Annoying and stupid and naïve and, and, useless…" the tears made their way behind her eyes again but she wouldn't cry. "He thinks I'm weak and I want to show him I'm not, but as I get to know him more and more, part of me, part of me just want to let things be, maybe then he'll like me." She explained not again, purposely not using any names.

Shikamaru, having gotten the wrong impression was now very awkward and kept shooting Sakura quick glances before casting his gaze back to sky. _Damn, all women are so troublesome, I knew I should've just let her go home, I mean Sakura, Sakura Haruno…. I can't be with her; I don't know her…._ He thought to himself rather frantically.

Sakura noticed how awkward Shikamaru was and opened her mouth to speak in a trembling voice as she still persisted in holding back her tears, "I-I'm sorry, it was stupid of me to think that you could help me, I mean, you probably just think I'm crazy now." She replied but as she started to get to her feet Shikamaru pulled her back.

"So who exactly is this guy?" He asked now more out of curiosity than anything else.

Sakura grimaced and looked up to the sky as a burst of thunder sounded so loudly she thought it'd ripped the sky apart, "Uchiha Sasuke…." She whispered, his name sounded so foreign to her now as she spoke it, it was no longer beautiful to her as it rolled off the tip of her tongue like normal.

Shikamaru felt himself relax somewhat, and Sakura felt it too but didn't bother thinking about why he wasn't his usual self before, "So let me get this straight, you had a thing for him and he wants everything that you don't to put it simply." He replied.

Sakura stared at him for a long second, how in the world did he know that, she hadn't even told him anything, just Sasuke. Did he really know her that well, and Sasuke that well, could he really analyze people that were so complicated so quickly, it was then she realized that Kakashi hadn't been pulling her leg when he'd told her Shikamaru was the smartest genin of the bunch.

"So I mean, that's amazing that's exactly how I was feeling, but I guess this whole thing kind of took my mind off of it. Thanks a lot." She replied uneasily.

Shikamaru nodded, "I know it's going to sound stupid coming from me, I mean I don't really know you, but I think you know deep down he's not for you. You just can't expect to realize that so quickly." He explained to her.

Sakura wanted to believe that, and coming from Shikamaru she probably could but she didn't _want _to believe that, at least not so soon. "I understand, I guess that makes sense." She lied anyway, just to make him feel better, he'd helped her after all, and she didn't even have to ask him. No one else ever would've shown her that sort of kindness, especially not someone like Shikamaru. She barely said two words to the guy.

The first few raindrops fell from the darkened sky, they were cold on the bare skin of Sakura's pale arms. She was content where she sat and found herself glancing over at Shikamaru who sat up and was starting to get to his feet. As the rain picked up she too stood not really wanting to leave, but knowing she had to all the same.

"See ya." Shikamaru called to her as she made her way up the hilly field to walk alongside him.

"See ya." She replied, though she didn't want to believe she'd gotten over Sasuke all because of Shikamaru, she knew somehow she had, and so she left him with a parting gift. She stopped him, smiling as he turned slowly around to face her, a priceless look of sheer annoyance plastered across his face.

"What'd you-" But she silenced him as she pressed her lips softly into his, they'd done enough talking for one afternoon to her way of thinking.

"Now you can leave." She replied smiling brightly as she turned and sprinted off towards home, Shikamaru stood watching her until she was too far away for him to make out any longer. Then, and only then did he continue making his way home.

Thunderstorms always seemed to bring the two back together after that.


End file.
